Chances are 1 in 5 of you has cancer, will have cancer, or knows someone who has cancer. According to the American Cancer Society: there will be an estimated 1,665,540 new cancer cases diagnosed and 585,720 cancer deaths in the US in 2014. I personally know 3 young people under the age of 35 who have been diagnosed with cancer in the past year alone.
Chances are 1 in 5 of you has cancer but you won’t be diagnosed until the cancer has spread (to stage 3 or 4). Diagnosing cancer early gives you the best possible chance of survival.
The early signs of cancer in women are often dismissed as “female problems,” even if the symptoms comes and goes away quickly.
Unusual vaginal bleeding or spotting between periods should be seen by a doctor immediately, even if you believe the spotting can be attributed to medications you are taking (such as progesterone).
Bleeding is so common that many women just live with it. But it could point to ovarian cancer. Other symptoms of ovarian cancer include abdominal pain or pelvic pain, feeling full quickly — even when you haven’t eaten much — and urinary problems, such as having an urgent need to go to the bathroom.
If the bloating occurs almost every day and persists for more than a few weeks, you should consult your physician. Expect your doctor to take a careful history and order a CT scan and blood tests, among others. Source
Rectal bleeding (blood on tissue when you wipe) should not be ignored, even if it goes away, or you believe it’s due to hemorrhoids.
Rectal bleeding, blood in the stool or dark stools are often dismissed as a symptom of hemorrhoids. However, doctors consider any blood in the toilet or stool to be serious and possibly a symptom of colorectal cancer, commonly known as colon cancer. Discuss these symptoms with your doctor to get the cause diagnosed and treated as soon as possible. Source
Pain in your breasts, rectum, abdominal, or pelvic area is usually always a sign that something is wrong. Pain is our body’s way of signaling impending disaster. It should be taken seriously even if it goes away. Telling your friends that you are in pain is not beneficial to you. You should always see a doctor for recurring pain in the same area.
Pain may be an early symptom with some cancers like bone cancers or testicular cancer. A headache that does not go away or get better with treatment may be a symptom of a brain tumor. Back pain can be a symptom of cancer of the colon, rectum, or ovary. Most often, pain due to cancer means it has already spread (metastasized) from where it started. Source
Breathing problems, productive cough, hoarseness, or even clearing your throat frequently can be signs of lung, throat or oral cancers. Cases of young people being diagnosed with oral cancer are on the rise.
Shortness of breath or wheezing may be early signs of lung cancer and should be reported to a doctor if it continues for more than two weeks. Lung cancer patients often describe that these asthma-like symptoms occur during activities they had not found strenuous previously.
A bad cough or chest pain similar to bronchitis may be a sign of several kinds of cancer, including lung tumors and leukemia.
Difficulty swallowing or a long-lasting feeling that you need to clear your throat may be a sign of esophageal or throat cancer. In some cases, there may also be an unusual sense of pressure when swallowing. Source
Constipation and diarrhea are often dismissed as nuisances or caused by bad diets. But they can very well be a sign of cancer of the GI and urinary tracts.
Long-term constipation, diarrhea, or a change in the size of the stool may be a sign of colon cancer. Pain when passing urine, blood in the urine, or a change in bladder function (such as needing to pass urine more or less often than usual) could be related to bladder or prostate cancer. Report any changes in bladder or bowel function to a doctor. Source
Unexplained weight loss is one of the classic signs/symptoms of cancer that should not be ignored. It’s the reason why weight loss is included on symptoms lists when you visit a doctor. Weight loss should be taken seriously even if you gain the weight back.
Many women would be delighted to lose weight without trying. But unexplained weight loss — say 10 pounds in a month without an increase in exercise or a decrease in food intake — should be checked out. Source
Feeling tired after a hard day’s work (or workout) is normal. But feeling tired to the point of exhaustion all the time is not normal. If you used to be able to walk up 3 flights of stairs with ease, but now 3 flights of stairs exhausts you, you should be seen by a doctor. Generalized fatigue doesn’t mean you have cancer, but it does mean you have a medical problem that needs to be addressed.
And remember that cancers are often missed by doctors!
That’s why it’s important to know your body! Be persistent. If you think something is wrong, ask your doctor to perform tests such as Guaiac test for invisible blood in your stool or test for blood in your urine. These are cheap tests that can save your life.
“Doctors often don’t consider cancer as a diagnosis, especially in young women. If you are having symptoms that are persistent and troubling to you, make sure that they are addressed. No one is going to know your body better than you do. No one is going to be a better advocate for your health than you will,” said Siobhan Lynch, MD, medical oncologist on the medical staff at Baylor All Saints Medical Center at Fort Worth. Source
And finally, consider the fact that the food you are eating may be killing you.
There is a movement afoot to raise public awareness of Monsanto’s control over our food supply. Specifically, the government’s approval of GMO’s (Genetically Modified Organisms) in our food. Did you know that food labeling does not reveal everything contained in our food?
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has long supported Monsanto’s fight to keep information about GMO’s off of food labels.
This has been your Medical Minute.
More Info on the Web
Signs and Symptoms of Cancer – American Cancer Society
15 Cancer Symptoms Women Ignore – WebMD
Cancer Signs Women Might Miss – Yahoo Health
Top 10 Lies Told by Monsanto On GMO Labeling in California – Huffington Post
10 things Monsanto Doesn’t Want You to Know
DISCLAIMER
Any medical information published on this blog is for your general information only and is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice. You should not take any action before consulting with your personal physician or a health care provider. Sandrarose.com and its affiliates cannot be held liable for any damages incurred by following advice found on this blog.
